Hydroponics and aquaponics are becoming increasingly popular methods of gardening without soil. You just give the roots access to a mix of nutrients and water and watch your garden flourish! It’s fun and interesting to watch plants take root in a nutrient bath that you set up. However, it’s not as much fun when your neighborhood trees start finding their own nutrient baths in your plumbing system.
While this naturally-occurring hydroponic garden might be interesting to scientists, it can cause some serious problems with your plumbing. Fortunately, an underground drain cleaning specialist can use one of the following methods to solve these problems.
Augers and root cutting saws are the go-to method for most root removal jobs. These tools travel underground through your pipes until they reach the roots that are clogging it. If the roots in your pipes are mostly thin, nutrient-gathering tendrils, this will likely be a very effective way of dealing with your root clogging issue. Once the roots have been cut, they can be removed from the pipe using a drain jetting tool.
If you suspect that your root problems are just beginning, you may want to try an environmentally-friendly root killing chemical. Although these formulas take time to kill and dissolve the roots in your pipe, they can help you postpone a costly sewer repair. However, if there is a large root clog in your pipe, chemical solutions might not be enough to get the job done. A combination of mechanical and chemical removal methods is typically more effective than using chemicals on their own.
Root clogs, like many problems, are easier to prevent than they are to solve. Having your sewer lines cleaned regularly will help knock out small roots before they become a big problem. Regular drain cleaning will also help knock out some of that “nutrient bath” that makes your sewer so attractive for root systems. Investing in preventative maintenance now can save you from many costly repairs along the line.
There is a time and a place for everything, and a hydroponic garden’s time and place is never in your sewer system! Preventative maintenance is the best way to avoid the problems that come with tree root clogs. However, if roots are already a problem, then underground drain cleaning specialists can use a variety of methods to help.
Vactone Environmental Services is happy to provide you with expert help in tree root removal as well as other underground drain cleaning concerns. Please feel free to contact us for more information.